The present invention relates in general to methods and apparatus for irrigating agricultural fields and more particularly to sprinkler apparatus adapted to accumulate a quantity of irrigation water to be expulsed in a rapid manner so as to irrigate areas not reachable under continuous flow conditions employing the flow rates and pressures available.
In my copending U.S. Pat. Application Ser. No. 827,787, filed Oct. 13, 1977 entitled "Travelling Sprinkler System and Method", assigned to the common assignee of this application, a travelling sprinkler system is disclosed employing a sprinkler head adapted to accumulate a volume of irrigation water and rapidly expulse the water through a nozzled outlet opening to force the water great distances in bursts while employing water supply lines providing flow rates and pressures which would be unable to reach such irrigation distances if a continuous stream irrigation were employed. In the aforementioned apparatus, the valve member closing the outlet opening from the accumulator is lifted to allow the burst of water by the force created on a diaphragm connected thereto by the internal pressure being created within the accumulation chamber from the filling thereof with water. Since the entire valving operation is pressure dependent, the operation thereof can vary as a function of the operating pressure of the supply line feeding the accumulator-distributor. While the apparatus disclosed by the aforementioned copending application has proved satisfactory in tested embodiments to date, the pressure based operation and attendant possibility for unforeseen erratic operation from particular configurations, pressure variations, and pressure responsive member aging produced a desire to have an accumulator-distributor operating completely in a mechanical manner whereby constant operational characteristics are achieved without regard to pressures, sizes, and component aging within normal tolerance limits.
Wherefore, it is the object of the present invention to provide such a mechanically operated accumulator-distributor particularly adapted for incorporation within travelling sprinkler apparatus as disclosed in the aforementioned copending application or the like.